tissue

American  

[tish-oo, tis-yoo] / ˈtɪʃ u, ˈtɪs yu /

noun

1. Biology. an aggregate of similar cells and cell products forming a definite kind of structural material with a specific function, in a multicellular organism.

2. tissue paper.

3. any of several kinds of soft gauzy papers used for various purposes.

   cleansing tissue; toilet tissue.

4. an interwoven or interconnected series or mass.

   a tissue of falsehoods.

5. a piece of thin writing paper on which carbon copies are made.

6. a woven fabric, especially one of light or gauzy texture, originally woven with gold or silver.

   a blouse of a delicate tissue.

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verb (used with object)

tissued, tissuing

1. to remove (a cosmetic or cream) with a facial tissue (often followed byoff ).

   Tissue all cosmetics off the face before going to bed.

2. to weave, especially with threads of gold and silver.

tissue British  

/ ˈtɪʃuː, ˈtɪsjuː /

noun

1. a part of an organism consisting of a large number of cells having a similar structure and function

   connective tissue

   nerve tissue

2. a thin piece of soft absorbent paper, usually of two or more layers, used as a disposable handkerchief, towel, etc

3. See tissue paper

4. an interwoven series

   a tissue of lies

5. a woven cloth, esp of a light gauzy nature, originally interwoven with threads of gold or silver

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verb

1. rare to weave into tissue

2. to decorate or clothe with tissue or tissue paper

tissue Scientific  

/ tĭsh′o̅o̅ /

1. A large mass of similar cells that make up a part of an organism and perform a specific function. The internal organs and connective structures (including bone and cartilage) of vertebrates, and cambium, xylem, and phloem in plants are made up of different types of tissue.

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Other Word Forms

• intertissued
  adjective
• tissual
  adjective
• tissuey
  adjective
• untissued
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of tissue

1325–75; Middle English tissew, variant of tissu < Middle French, Old French, noun use of past participle of tistre to weave < Latin texere

Explanation

Tissue is part of the body of a living thing that is made of similar cells, like the cardiac tissue of your heart. A tissue is also a soft, thin piece of paper used for wiping noses and tear drops. The noun tissue comes from the Old French word tissu, meaning “a ribbon, or belt of woven material.” In fact, as a verb, tissue means "weave fabric strands." Today, we think of tissues as the disposable paper for blowing our noses or packing presents. A different kind of tissue is found in the body — the groups of cells that have the same job, like scar tissue that protects a wound as it heals.

Example Sentences

Tissue samples are easier to obtain from some demographic groups than others, resulting in imbalanced datasets.

From Science Daily • Dec. 17, 2025

Kevin Lowbrera, who works for one of the big "body broking" companies, says its accreditation by the American Association of Tissue Banks means it has to follow guidelines determining how cadavers are treated and stored.

From BBC • Aug. 30, 2025

Tissue samples from muscle, fat and skin were also taken as part of the study.

From Science Daily • Nov. 28, 2024

The Human Tissue Act only bans "commercial dealings" of human tissue in the context of medical transplantation, rather than sale as artefacts.

From BBC • Nov. 20, 2024

On a separate page he wrote, “Henrietta Lacks .. . Biopsy of cervical tissue . .. Tissue given to Dr. George Gey.”

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

Related Words

• balance
• character
• composition
• consistency
• fabric
• feeling
• makeup
• nature
• pattern
• quality
• sense
• smoothness
• structure
• surface
• taste
• touch